Deutsche Telekom CEO Tim Höttges has attacked broadband rivals in Germany at the operator’s shareholder meeting.
Höttges (pictured) said competitors “do nothing but moan and groan” about his company’s network, as he launched a defence of DT’s activity.
Pointing to the €10.8 billion that DT invested last year, the CEO claimed DT had been “the only company to act” over the past six years to build out Germany’s broadband network.
"Our competitors do nothing but moan and groan,” he said. “Sometimes they complain that the prices they pay for our network are too high.
“Sometimes they say that we have the wrong technology. Then build-out is too slow, they claim.
"But as soon as we expand it, these critics are only too happy to use our network. They market our products under their name.
“It would be better for Germany if others also contributed to expansion. Moaning won't build a network. Better to invest than criticise.”
Rivals, notably Vodafone, have focused their criticism on DT’s reliance on FTTC tech rather than taking fibre all the way to the home or office.
This argument got a boost from the European Commission earlier this month, when Brussels opened an in-depth investigation of German regulator BNetzA's decision to allow DT to upgrade its network with vectoring tech.
The Commission said it was concerned about the potential impact of the decision on competition and on incentives for investment in future-oriented networks.
Vodafone has alleged that DT is attempting to remonopolise the market given vectoring prevents the physical "unbundling" of individual subscriber lines.
BNetzA has offered two alternative access products, but Brussels said these “are not yet sufficient to ensure an appropriate safeguarding of competition”.
It has three months to investigate the ruling and make a decision on whether to block, amend or allow it through.
DT saw revenues in its home market fall 2.5 percent in the first three months of the year.
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